Christmas Ponderings (See also Luke 2:19)

I have been inspired and affected by the Christmas spirit and Christmas message early and often so far this year.  I am grateful.  The lights, music, stories, pictures, scriptures, videos, plays, nativities, service, family, friends, symbols, reminders, thoughts and examples have been a blessing.

I'm reminded that Christmas doesn't need to be just one day or season, but the important message that we love and share at this time of year is really for every day.  I was particularly grateful for the opportunity I had today to participate in a small way in Christmas devotional at work.  The choir sang a few BEAUTIFUL numbers that really touched my heart and changed and uplifted and healed me.  Here are two of them:

Come, Lord Jesus (from Savior of the World, which I recommend everyone see!  I think this probably did more than anything else to help me feel the real spirit of Christmas and anticipation and love early this year.)

Once in Royal David's City (including an additional, beautiful fourth verse)
Once in royal David's city Stood a lowly cattle shed,
Where a mother laid her baby In a manger for his bed:
Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ her little child.

He came down to earth from heaven, Who is God and Lord of all,
And his shelter was a stable, And his cradle was a stall;
With the poor, and mean, and lowly, Lived on earth our Savior holy.

And our eyes at last shall see him, Through his own redeeming love;
For that child so dear and gentle Is our Lord in heav'n above,
And he leads his children on To the place where he is gone.

One day he will come to greet us Blazing trails of glory past.

We will bow in adoration, For our Lord has come at last. 

O the long awaited morning, We will shout in joyous praise.

Promised Lord at last to meet us, Christ, the King of latter-days.

If that music weren't enough,  inspiring messages by three wonderful leaders also inspired, uplifted, strengthened, and blessed me:

• What do you do to always remember Him?  Remembering Him helps us have the Spirit, which helps us be one with Him.
• Just as "he leads his children on to the place where he is gone" we learn in Revelations 7:16-17, "For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."  At this time of year it's a blessing and opportunity to seek His love and His approval of our offering to Him.  There is something wonderful in thinking about the rest of Jesus' life as well - His ministry, teachings, Atonement, and Resurrection, and even how He will come again in glory, but now, at this time, we should stop and focus on the baby.  Pray, just listen, feel his love, just you and the baby.  :)
• The humble scene of Mary, Joseph, and Jesus teaches us more about truth, wealth, hope, and love than anyone or anything else in the world.

I'm grateful for the blessing and gift of Christ...and the chance to learn and ponder what that means for me.

These thoughts reminded me of a quote I loved at the First Presidency Christmas Devotional by Sister Oscarson.  She quoted President Gordon B. Hinckley who quoted E. T. Sullivan, who said: "When God wants a great work done in the world or a great wrong righted, he goes about it in a very unusual way. He doesn’t stir up his earthquakes or send forth his thunderbolts. Instead, he has a helpless baby born. … And then God waits. The greatest forces in the world are not the earthquakes and the thunderbolts. The greatest forces in the world are babies."  And then she added, "Notice the great patience which God the Father has in letting His plan for His children unfold. The Savior of the world did not come to earth at that time with a great show of power and majesty—He came as a helpless baby. This Christ child was certainly one of “the greatest forces in the world,” and yet He was born in a simple stable with straw in a manger for His bed."

I'm grateful for the Lord's plan and His love for each of His children!